Battery Powered Lawn Equipment: Does It Work?

Electric yard tools, including battery operated lawn equipment, have become more and more popular as homeowners become interested in ways to protect the environment while still maintaining beautiful, green lawns. 

Battery operated lawn equipment is becoming more efficient and powerful with each new season of tech upgrades. Battery powered yard tools now include battery powered lawn trimmers and battery powered lawn sprayers. But what about that small battery powered lawn mower? Is it as powerful and effective as a traditional lawn mower?

Cordless garden tools and battery operated yard tools can be great for smaller yards, and for reducing the pollution and noise of traditional gas engine equipment. Here’s what you need to know about their power, efficiency, and useability.

Battery powered lawn tools: starting with the smaller stuff

Smaller battery powered lawn equipment has paved the way for tech advancements that have recently migrated to larger battery powered garden tools, like mowers and even electric tractors. Today’s battery powered gardening tools have long running times with each charge, even for smaller battery equipment.

Whether it’s a string weed trimmer, hedge clipper, or leaf blower you’re after, today’s manufacturers produce powerful battery powered tools for all of your lawn care needs. 

Understanding brushed and brushless motors

Your battery powered electric lawn mower and other lawn power equipment has one of two types of motors: brushed and brushless. Brushed motors are less energy efficient, but more economically efficient. These types of motors are fine for smaller pieces of equipment that do not need a very powerful motor.

Brushless motors are better for larger pieces of equipment, larger yards, and jobs that require a little more power. Chainsaws and leaf blowers with brushless motors are more powerful and able to run for longer periods of time. A brushless lawn mower with a high-watt battery is strong enough to tackle any mowing job that a traditional gas powered mower can handle. 

Battery capacities for your battery operated lawn equipment

Battery operated lawn equipment comes in a variety of battery sizes, from an 18-volt battery to 80-volt capacities. You might assume that the  best battery powered lawn tools are the ones with the highest voltage, but that’s not always the case. 

Volts are one measure of a battery's output capacity and can be thought of as a unit of voltage that explains the ratio of voltage of potential energy to electric charge a battery holds. Basically, it’s the battery’s pressure (psi) whereas the amps are the amount of energy that can be pushed through the energy system at that voltage. 

So what does all this mean? It means the wattage of a battery (amps times volts) is the best measure of a battery’s potential capacity for power. Therefore, the higher the wattage, the more powerful the battery is for a longer period of time. Batteries with low wattage have shorter run times than outdoor products with higher wattage. Some batteries list their wattage, but if they don’t, simply multiply the listed volts times the listed amps.

What is the best battery powered lawn mower? 

Now that you’re up to date on amps, watts, power, and motor types, how can you decide which piece of battery powered equipment is best for your outdoor space?

Some things to consider are the size of your space and the efficiency of the tool. The best piece of battery powered electric lawn equipment for a large rural space with diverse flora and complicated terrain will not be the best piece of equipment for a 50-square-foot, fenced in patch of grass. Some mowers have bagging attachments to help clear up excess clippings, while others do not. And then, of course, you need to consider the wattage of your mower’s battery and the type of motor it has. 

Popular Mechanics put together this list of the best pieces of electric mowing equipment for you to decide for yourself which tool is right for you and your lawn. Consider price points, durability, weight, precision, and ease of use when making your decision. 

Why we suggest springing for a battery powered lawn mower and trimmer this year

The benefits of battery powered mowers and tools are plentiful and rising. Electric gardening tools and mowing equipment drastically reduce the air pollution created by lawn maintenance each year. To give you some idea of just how much, Consumer Reports claimed in 2021 that “Running a commercial leaf blower for an hour can produce as many pollutants as driving a 2017 Toyota Camry 1,100 miles.” That’s huge data.

On top of the reduction in pollution, the noise reduction of many of these battery-powered outdoor tools is worth the upgrade. Gas powered tools like lawn mowers and leaf blowers can be exceptionally loud, especially as they age. Battery powered and electric lawn tools can significantly reduce that noise.

Finally, advancements in cleaner fuel alternatives mean that battery powered equipment has made steady gains in efficiency, and will likely continue to trend that way. Electric gardening tools, especially battery powered lawn equipment, will only become more common and more user friendly as time goes on.

Still have unanswered questions about which lawn equipment is right for you? Get in touch with us today for more information, or to book your free estimate!